


Eclipse

by jes12321



Category: Haikyuu!!, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Astronomical Symbolism, Boys Kissing, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Established Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Falling In Love, Figure Skater Hinata Shouyou, First Kiss, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Ice Skating, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Parents Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Running Away, Volleyball Dorks in Love, awkward confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21891133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jes12321/pseuds/jes12321
Summary: "All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul."- Victor Hugo---Hinata Shouyou, two-time World Junior Cup Figure Skating Finalist, gold metal winner of the Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships, and high school middle blocker for the Karasuno Volleyball club.His life was glamorous and fun. He was coached by  some of the best skaters in the world, who also happened to be his parents, Yuuri Katsuki and Viktor Nikiforov, as well as Yuri Plisetsky. Everything was great, until the accident.(Completed)
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Karasuno Volleyball Club, Hinata Shouyou & Nekoma Volleyball Club, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 113
Kudos: 611





	1. Chapter 1

_Hinata Shouyou was a legend in the skating world. His first year in the Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships he won gold and beat the previous high score record. This was no surprise to some, seeing as he had been coached and raised by his adoptive parents Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki. _

_Not only were his step sequences and jumps impeccable, he also managed to enthrall the crowd as well. The expressiveness of his performance showed how much effort and care he put into each skate. He never rushed his moves, but he never hesitated either. He was always sure of himself. Every junior skater wanted to be him or beat him. _

_His dance teacher came to every competition to cheer him on, and if she couldn't, she always watched the live stream. She never missed a moment. She was like a mother to him._

_He was amazing. He was perfect. _

_Until the accident. _

_It was a move he had done a million times in practice. A move he was sure he could do without error. A move that he had been practicing in secret. A move to surprise Viktor and Yuuri. _

_A move that went terribly wrong. _

_A move that sent him to the hospital. _

_A move that broke three ribs and fractured his pelvis. _

_A move that kept him in the hospital for almost two months._

_A move that Hinata decided was the end of his figure skating career. _

_Hinata ran away. He ran to his dance instructor just as she was leaving, and they moved to Miyagi to live with her family after that. Nobody mentioned skating around him again. They were afraid he would break. Afraid he would never be able to be fixed. _

\---

Later that year, as Hinata went to the soccer fields with the friends he had made during summer visits to family, he saw it. 

Hinata was the type to go all in. When he started something, he was usually too stubborn to give it up. So when he saw Karasuno's Tiny Giant jump so high Hinata swore he could fly, he knew that was what he wanted. 

He practiced without end. Watching videos on how to spike. Practicing wherever he could. The agility and leg power from skating became helpful to him once again. The feeling of the wind in his hair when he jumped and the blur of people as he ran was almost as good as-

No, he wouldn't think of that.

Not once did he think he was pushing himself too far in, too quickly. Not once did he think this was a distraction from his past. Not once did he look back and regret his decision. 

And maybe, in the beginning, it all had been a distraction. Dive deep into another pool to forget the warmth of the one you left. But after a while, volleyball had also taken a special place in his heart. In his soul. 

During his first tournament, they were utterly defeated. 

Hinata wouldn't go as far as to say he was surprised, especially since his team was a ragtag group of first years and some of Hinata's friends from other sports. He _was_, however, surprised when the other team's setter asked what he'd been wasting his time with for the last three years. 

That's right. Nobody here knew. 

He swore he would beat him, but it's a little hard to beat someone who's on the same team as you, so he took the little things. 

At their first match, Hinata could feel the nerves. He used to never get nervous going into a competition, but that was before he failed. Before he knew what it was like to let everyone down. It didn't help when the stupid turnip-head convinced him that anyone Kageyama couldn't use would be thrown out like trash. 

He ended up doing more harm than good by overcompensating. He felt a little better when Kageyama didn't murder him for hitting him with a stray serve. He scolded himself for not trusting his teammates. 

Not trusting the people who have helped you is worse than failing. 

Kageyama ended up being a pretty cool guy. Yes, he was temperamental, but he was used to that from practicing with Yuri. Yes, he could be a huge jerk, but he meant well. 

The crushing defeat at the Inter-High Tournament didn't break his spirit for some reason. Not the same way his injury had. It wasn't the same feeling as before. Yes, it hurt like hell to lose, and he never wanted to feel that way again, but he was ready to try again. 

Maybe that meant he could try again to- 

No, he could never. Not after running away like a coward. 

He could never touch the ice again. He would never trust himself again. He would never trust his skates again. The only thing he could trust was that the ice would be there to harden his fall. 

_Although_, Hinata thought as he was thrown to the ground, _the wooden floors of the gym aren't much better. That's not exactly my good side either._

And of course, Kageyama had to throw him down onto his bad side. On the side with all the injuries from not-so-long-ago. Of course, the room got colder, and suddenly Hinata could feel the skates on his feet. Of course, he could hear the worried chatter of all the people in the stands. Of course. 

For some reason, it hurt more to be thrown to the ground by Kageyama. His partner. His _friend_.

The fight ended up with both of them getting a punch in the face from Tanaka. One they both deserved, really. Especially with the way they had scared Yachi. 

He could still feel the phantom pain the next day, practicing with Old Coach Ukai. He could still feel the ice. 

He didn't want to fight alone, but that was what the team needed. He didn't want them to think he didn't trust them, but if they wanted to win, they have to get better. 

That was the only way. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm gonna tell you right now, any Russian used in this story is from google translate because (sadly) I don't know Russian, so if you see any errors, don't hesitate to tell me in the comments.
> 
> Thank you.

_"You may be out there alone, but you're not alone in this competition. Got it?" Yuuri asked, sending him a thumbs up. _

_"Yeah, thanks." He laughed, continuing to lace up his skates. _

_"If you screw this up, you have to buy me as many pork cutlet bowls as I want tonight." It was Yuri this time. _

_"Sure." He laughed. He'd never had to before, and he wasn't about to start now. _

_"_Oгонь_, don't listen to him. Just try your best. Don't be worried about winning. Don't stress. Just challenge yourself to do the best set you ever have." Viktor told him, wrapping him in a hug. _

_These were all customary send-offs before a game. Hinata always liked Viktor's the best. They were both people who liked physical contact, so the hug always helped calm him down. _

_That was the night. The night of the accident. Even though the doctors said he didn't, Hinata was sure he had a concussion, because he didn't remember anything after going out onto the ice. Nothing except the pain, the ice, and the voices. _

_\---_

Hinata still couldn't bring himself to watch the video. He couldn't bring himself to see his failure. It had to have been bad for his mind to block it out like that. He had looked it up multiple times, hovered his mouse over it, then chickened out. He hadn't called his coaches or Yuri since then either. 

They probably didn't want to talk anyway. He wasn't worried about them judging his move, they would never do that. He knew that much. What he _was_ worried about, was facing them after running away. He had promised never to give up. He had broken that promise, and that was one too many. 

Hinata shook his head as he rode to school. Tomorrow was the day they would be going to Shinzen High for a week-long training camp. Some of the best teams in Tokyo would be there, and he was really looking forward to using that new quick-strike they had come up with. 

Even if it wasn't quite polished. 

They were gonna kick _задница_ with it. 

Hinata had made new friends at the last training camp, and he was looking forward to seeing them again. He had been most excited about meeting Lev, who was apparently half-Russian. He had been excited to meet someone who might know the language Yuri had taught him, but in the end he only knew Japanese. 

To his surprise, he had come up to Hinata later, asking if he would be willing to teach him some. So, they had bonded through that. Hinata found out later that the taller boy knew a few words, like a greeting and how to introduce himself, because his parents had decided he at least needed to know one or two things. These lessons had only cemented their friendship. 

"I'm glad we could all make it." Coach Ukai announced as the team gathered around. "I have some news concerning the training camp tomorrow. There was a lice outbreak at Shinzen High School, infecting all the carpets and futons, so they have decided to hold the camp somewhere else.

"Luckily, a school in the Saga Prefecture heard about this from one of the nearby schools participating, and has decided to let us use their school."

Hinata flinched when he heard about the prefecture he used to call home, but relaxed after a moment. It wouldn't be Hasetsu. 

"Where exactly in the prefecture?" Suga asked, ever the responsible one. 

"Oh, yeah. It's in a small castle town called Hasetsu." 

Hinata almost choked. Why was life so cruel?

Maybe he could get out of it. Maybe he could pretend to be sick. But that wouldn't work, and he knew it. They would question why he wasn't even trying to convince them to let him go, and he would have to tell them how much of a coward he really is. 

The only people he _could_ talk to were Kenma and Lev. 

Kenma, as a principle, was overly cautious of people. Especially new ones. He had done a deep web search of Hinata (as you do) and found his past. He hadn't asked about why he stopped or what happened, and promised not to watch_ the _video until Hinata gave the okay. He was glad to have such a considerate friend. 

Lev wouldn't give up on asking exactly _why_ the small Japanese boy knew Russian, and was about to start spreading ludicrous theories around the volleyball clubs. His own club didn't even think he knew how to speak Japanese very well, let alone Russian. So, in the end, he had caved, and made Lev promise to tell no one. And, despite his boisterous personality, he kept the secret very well. He told people his parents had been teaching him Russian, and told his parents a friend had been teaching him. 

So, at least he would have them. 

"Hinata, are you okay? You look a little pale." Suga asked, once again taking up the role of team mother. 

"If you get sick now, I'm gonna murder you. Do you hear me, dumbass?" Kageyama yelled from behind him.

"I'm fine," He lied, almost too easily. "I just didn't get much sleep last night. Too excited to see Kenma tomorrow, I guess. Haven't seen him in a while."

"You saw him a week ago, idiot," Kageyama called out, and he could hear a hint of something other than annoyance. 

Hinata had to get out of there. Luckily, Suga must have read his mind, because he informed him that he should head home early to get extra rest. After some half-hearted arguing for realism, he rushed out of there so quickly, they could feel the breeze as he went past.

He should call them. Tell them about what he had done while he was away. It seemed better than the alternative of them rambling on about why he quit in front of a bunch of people who didn't know. 

When he got home, he pulled out his phone and went to the contacts list. His finger hovered over the name before he flipped it shut. He couldn't face them. Not now. Not yet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this training camp is not the one with the bar-b-que at the end where Bokuto teaches Hinata how to feint. This is my own made-up one that comes after that. Sorry if I fucked up the timeline.
> 
> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> огонь = flame/light
> 
> задница = butt/ass


	3. Chapter 3

_"Come on Hinata, you won't win if you keep missing the quad salchow," Yuri told him, slapping his arm._

_"I know, I know. It just seems like it keeps getting harder and harder." He told him. He hadn't even gotten it once in his weeks of attempts. Yuri would be going back to Russia soon, so this was the only chance he had._

_"Nothing will ever change if you don't overcome the difficult part first. If you give up now, you'll never get it." He told him, his voice uncharacteristically soft. It was one of those moments when he was thinking of his own past. His own struggles._

_"Yeah, alright. If I get this before you leave, you have to teach me another curse word, okay Yurio?" He ignored the name. Hinata seemed to be the only one he allowed to call him that, but he never brought it up in fear he may stop allowing it._

_"Why only curse words? The language itself is beautiful as well. I could teach you the entire language, but all you want is curse words." He sighed, skating off the ice. It was late, and they should probably head back to their respective lodgments. Yuri always stayed at the Yu-topia, but his fathers had moved out quite a while back._

_"Wait, you would really be willing to teach me the language? You would teach me Russian?" He asked. The look on his face was one of hope._

_"Of course. Although, while I'm away, you're going to have to ask Viktor to teach you. I'm not sure how good of a teacher he'll be, but I promise to try my best. You have to try your best too, got it _солнышко_?" The smirk on his face threw the boy off a little bit, but he nodded._

_"Wait, what's with the nickname? What does it mean?" He asked, suddenly realizing._

_"You'll find out someday."_

_He never did find out._

\---

Hinata had never had the courage, nor the resolve to actually look up what the name meant after he left. He assumed a small part of him hoped they would meet again someday so he could ask again. Another part of him hoped that day would never come. He didn't want to face them again.

The training camp wouldn't start for another day, seeing as the trip from Miyagi would take almost twenty hours. Hinata didn't know what he would do with himself. He hadn't been stationary for this long since his flights for the World Junior Cup. He did have to say that he at least had more space on the bus than he did flying coach.

To make up for that, the coaches had all decided that the camp would go on for one more day, into the weekend, to make sure everyone got to play enough. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but he was glad to get to play.

He wasn't tired, despite it being midnight, having gotten no sleep that night or the one before.

"Hey Hinata," He looked over to see Tsukishima smirking at him. "How are you gonna do on the ride? You gonna be able to sit still for more than five seconds?"

Somehow, Tsukishima pissed Hinata off more than Kageyama sometimes.

He decided to ignore the jab and instead boarded the bus in silence. Once on the bus, he put in his headphones and listened to the music he never thought he would hear again.

After leaving Hasetsu, Hinata had made a playlist of all of his songs he had ever done a performance to. He had wanted to listen during practice, but it was too much. Now, though, as he boarded the bus, still pissed at Tsukishima, he knew it would help him relax.

Music had always helped him relax.

Maybe that was why he had been so good on the ice. The music had relaxed him, helped him focus on the move that came next. The move he was doing in the moment.

It helped him _feel_ the movement.

He wasn't sure how long he silently stared out the window, but when the bus stopped to refuel and everyone got off to use the restroom and stretch their legs, the sun was high in the sky.

"Hey, Hinata?" He turned to see Daichi looking at him with concern as they stepped off the bus. "You know you're allowed to talk, right? And move around a bit? You don't have to worry about what Tsukishima said. We all know how much you want to move around."

The look on his face was one of care. It only made sense that Daichi would be the caring father of the group.

"Oh, I'm fine. Though, it is nice to stretch for a bit."

He walked away, missing the way the rest of his team stared at him. Was he really that calm about sitting in one spot for more than five minutes? It seemed so unlike him. They tried their best to get back to what they were doing.

Hinata had gone over to a grassy patch further away from the road to stretch. He assumed the music put him on autopilot, because the next thing he knew, he was doing his old skating stretches. He only realized when he heard someone calling his name. They had sent Noya to come find him.

"Whoa, Hinata. I had no idea you were that flexible." He commented as Hinata quickly dropped the leg he had been stretching backward.

"It's nothing. Let's just get back to the bus, okay?" He quickly grabbed his jacket off the ground before quickly walking back to the bus.

He didn't want to seem suspicious. No matter how big of idiots they may seem like, they would figure it out at some point. That is, if they hadn't already.

He just had to be careful. Especially considering he would be in enemy territory soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> солнышко = sunshine


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to tell you guys that I get so excited about posting a new chapter. Like, I literally count down the days. I love reading your guys' comments and reactions to the new chapter, so please keep them coming. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading.

_"Oh my god. Hinata, are you okay?" It was Viktor. He was on the ice with Yuuri. They both looked like they were crying._

_All Hinata could feel was pain. Pain and a cold, unforgiving floor. One that he seemed to need to survive, but never wanted to even see again._

_He tried to get up, but the pain in his ribs and hips stopped him. What if he never skated again?_

_'Would that really be so bad?' His stupid brain supplied._

_Next was a wave of blonde._

_"Oh _солнышко_. Someone get a medic." He tried to lift the smaller boy, but the scream of pain stopped him in his tracks. He settled for running fingers gently through his hair._

_Hinata had forgotten about that part. Yuri had carded his fingers through his hair. He was trying to calm him down. The cold fingers were a different type of cold than the cold floor. These seemed to relieve the heat growing in his mind, making everything hazy._

_He wanted to lean in closer, but he was ripped away by medics. The hospital was the same type of cold as the ice had been._

_\---_

For the rest of the bus ride, he refused to listen to music. It would only make him yearn for the ice. But he wasn't a skater anymore. He was a volleyball player now. He didn't even need to think of the cold, unforgiving floor that had cast him out so long ago.

His leg bounced as he watched out the window. He ignored the snickers emanating from Tsukishima across the aisle. So what if he couldn't sit still? Wasn't that better for volleyball anyway? The more he moved, the more opponent's gazes that were drawn to him. The more he shown, the more his teammates could do without being noticed. The more he moved, the more he helped his team.

He idly wondered _why_ he was always so antsy, always needing to move. He had never been like that on the ice. He only ever made the movements he wanted to. If he didn't, he would be docked points. Maybe it was because now, his body was allowed to do that to win.

You give in an inch, it takes a mile.

He needed to keep his mind occupied or he would go crazy, so he let it wander to all the times he had lied to keep this secret. All the times his teammates had actually asked him to go to the public rink in winter, only for him to lie. Say he had to watch his sister. All the times he had phantom pain on the whole left side of his body, so he had to lie. Say he wasn't feeling well enough to play, or that his mother had him doing chores.

Okay, so maybe that hadn't been the best place to wander to. He instead tried to close his eyes and fall asleep, curling himself up the way he always did when sleeping on the bus, or in a plane. It was almost comforting.

When they arrived at the school, it was dark again, but Hinata wasn't tired. He actually missed the town a bit, now that he was back.

"Maybe you should look around a bit. It might help to settle some of those lingering feelings you have." Kenma said, not looking up from his video game.

"Ooh, can I come? I want a full tour. _пожалуйста_." Lev begged, his pronunciation slightly off, but the effort made him smile.

"Not tonight. We need to sleep before training tomorrow. Maybe after training camp. We usually have a few hours before we leave to look around anyway, right? Maybe I'll show you then." He told Lev, hating how much he sounded like his mother.

"Fine, but I'm keeping you to your promise." He pouted as they reached where they would part ways.

"I never promised, but okay. _Спокoйной ночи_. Night, Kenma."

The boy looked up from his game to wave and return the pleasantry. Lev did the same, his pronunciation still a bit off, but Hinata wasn't sure it would ever be perfect.

Training camp the next day was actually pretty fun. They had decided to mix up the teams you played against, and first Karasuno was up against Nekoma. Lev and Hinata had been put together. They both smirked as their names were called. Their smiles only grew as Kageyama was put on their team.

Nishinoya, Yamamoto, and Tanaka had also been put on their team, and after some very carefully picked words about impressing Kiyoko by winning, they were even more fired up.

Everything was going great. They had won the first set and were three points ahead on the second one.

The only notable thing to happen during the game was Hinata and Lev both trying to receive a ball. That, mixed with their terrible receiving ability, caused an audible collision.

"Oh, Hinata. _очень жаль_." He bent down in apology, his hand perpendicular to his face.

"It's fine. I should have vocalized better." He assured, forgetting for a moment that his teammates were surrounding him. The ones who _very much_ did not know Hinata knew how to speak Russian.

He knew he had told Lev to use the language as much as possible, that it was the best way to get used to it, but he almost regretted that now.

"Whoa, you know Russian? That's so cool." Nishinoya was so easily entertained.

From the other side of the court came a voice, before Hinata could even defend himself.

"He probably just saw the motion Lev did. He barely knows Japanese. How could he know another language?" And for once, Hinata was grateful for Tsukishima's constant jabs.

The rest of the day went without incident, but Hinata had failed to notice the inquisitive eye Tsukishima had trained on him the whole day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> пожалуйста = please
> 
> Спокойной ночи = good night
> 
> очень жаль = very sorry


	5. Chapter 5

_Hinata had woken up in the middle of the night to get a drink. Even though it had only been a few weeks since they'd moved into the house, he already knew where all the creaks were. He never liked disturbing the woman who he had grown to call a mother._

_As he walked down the hall, he heard a voice from her room._

_"Look, Viktor, I know you want to come see him, but I assure you he's fine." She seemed to be arguing._

_He froze when he heard his father's name. After a moment she spoke again._

_"You may think you know what's best for him, but right now he needs space. He'll go back when he's ready. You shouldn't rush him."_

_There was another moment of silence, and Hinata considered just continuing on to get his drink. _

_"Viktor, if you even think about doing that I will personally dig your grave. He needs time, and he needs space. Trust me, he won't stay away for too long. He's drawn to the ice. He'll come back eventually. Didn't you used to say you always believed in destiny?"_

\---

Hinata always loved the idea of destiny. He loved the story of how his father had seen Yuuri do one of his arrangements and been so drawn in, he couldn't look away. He had always loved that, but recently it seemed like the universe was just trying to fuck him over.

As much as he hated to admit it, he still practiced his dance at least once a week. His 'mother' had installed a dance bar in one of the rooms to teach her biological daughter, Natsu, ballet, and hopefully, someday, skating. But every time his 'mother' had made Natsu practice, she had taken it as an opportunity to train him as well. Make sure he stayed in shape.

_"In case you ever change your mind."_ She had told him once.

He also hated to admit that he loved it. The way he moved as he danced. The pain in his muscles as he trained. He also loved the way Natsu was so enthralled by his movements. It was the kind of feeling he only got when all eyes were on him, appreciating his skill.

He could almost feel the same way during an especially good match.

_Almost._

"Hinata, do you have any free time after practice ends today?" Lev asked during their break. The _"to teach me Russian"_ was unneeded.

"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you outside of the Nekoma room after we both clean up."

"Alright." Lev suddenly seemed more energized, and Hinata wasn't sure if he had something up his sleeve, or if he was just excited to learn. He really hoped it wasn't the former.

The rest of the day he tried to ignore the eyes burning into his head. There were six of them.

Tsukishima hadn't stopped staring since this morning, and Hinata was beginning to worry that it might have something to do with his slip up the day before. He tried to shake it off, but the feeling stuck.

Lev was way too excited to be learning Russian after practice, so he obviously had something up his sleeve. He wasn't sure if that or Tsukishima worried him more.

Kenma was staring too, although less intensely than the others. Hinata knew that he had probably just been dragged into whatever shit Lev had planned. He was more worried for Kenma than he was for himself.

After practice, Hinata had not expected to be cornered by Tsukishima on his way to the room the Nekoma players were staying in.

"Not that I care, but how the hell do you know Russian?"

Hinata couldn't help the way he seemed to shrink down. He had never been very good at facing larger opponents, especially when there was no one to hide behind.

"Um," He racked his mind for en excuse. "Lev is teaching me. I heard him practicing one day, and I thought it was cool, so I asked him to teach me."

It was a pretty solid excuse, and thankfully, Tsukishima thought so as well, for he turned around with a _tch_ and walked away.

Hinata quickly ran to the Nekoma room where Lev was already waiting outside.

"You're late, Hinata." He chuckled, reaching into the room to drag out Kenma, who looked like he honestly couldn't care less.

"Sorry, I was caught up by Tsukki. He was asking me about yesterday." A look of guilt overcame Lev's face. "Don't feel bad. It was mostly my fault. Where do you wanna practice?"

At the question, Lev's face lit up.

"Well," And Hinata already felt nervous. "There's this ramen place in town, and-"

"No. I already said not until the last day, okay?"

"_пожалуйста_." Even Kenma looked like he wanted to go. It almost hurt him to see.

"Fine, but no more than a few hours. And you're paying. I'm too broke to pay." He finally gave in.

"_Спасибо_." Lev all but yelled in the quiet hallway, earning quite a few yells from inside the room. Especially from Yaku.

The rest of the night was uneventful. The food was as good as he remembered and Lev had obviously been practicing his Russian since his pronunciation had gotten better and he remembered more words.

Kenma had been playing a video game ever since they got there, but he seemed to pick up on the language pretty quickly, since even he would correct Lev sometimes.

What none of them noticed was the group of people standing across the street, watching.

So, maybe some people had been worried about Hinata lately and followed him off of the school campus. And maybe these "some people" had included people from Karasuno and Nekoma, especially since Kenma had willingly gone out after practice.

What Hinata had never even considered, was that maybe the universe had decided that what Hinata needed was a kick in the _задница_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> пожалуйста = please
> 
> Спасибо = thank you
> 
> задница = butt/ass


	6. Chapter 6

_"You do know you just called me a donkey, right?" Yuri asked, holding back a laugh. _

_"What? No, I didn't mean to say that." His embarrassed blush crept up his ears and neck._

_"It's alright, _солнышко_. We should probably get back to practice anyway. If your dads find out I'm letting you slack, they won't be happy." He joked, pulling the boy off the bench along with him._

_"I don't think so. Although,_ пaпа_ might be a little jealous that I prefer when you teach me Russian. Between the two of us, he's not a very good language teacher. He's much better at skating."_

_"Are you saying I'm better at something than the great Viktor Nikiforov? I'm honored." He placed his hand on his chest and stood up straighter than before._

_"Yurio, you better not go getting a big head. Besides, that's just between us. We both know how he'd react if he heard that I told you that."_

_"Of course. 'Oh no, my only son. He no longer loves me. How could the world be so cruel?'" He fell to his knees with his hand on his forehead at the end for dramatic effect._

_They both laughed as they stepped on the ice._

\---

The next day went on as any other would, but it was tense. They all seemed to look at him a different way. It wasn't just him either. They seemed to be acting that same way with Lev and Kenma. Had they been found out?

He didn't want his friends to get in trouble with their team. At that moment, he was ready to take all the blame.

His head hurt. He was so busy thinking of _why_ they were acting this way towards them, he missed half of the balls that were sent his way. When the coach told him to sit it out for a little bit, he tried his best to just watch the game. He didn't want to be put out, but they didn't want him anymore.

Not today, anyway.

The truth hurt, but the more he ran away from it, the more he would regret later on. He knew that much from past experience. Running helped no one. Not the runner or the chaser.

Although, he seemed to eat his own words just as they cleared out of the gym.

After practice, Hinata decided to go on a run. Those usually cleared his mind. He didn't even realize where he was going until he heard the voice.

"Oh, Shouyou. Nice to see you came back. I hope you're feeling better." It was the man who seemed to always be on the bridge. He was always fishing, and Hinata idly wondered if he ever caught anything.

"Hello, I'm not back for long. Just visiting." He contemplated his question for a moment before asking. "Are Viktor or Yuuri at the rink?"

"Hmm, I haven't seen them today. I'm sorry. I guess they aren't" The man said, but that was exactly what he had wanted to hear.

Maybe, just maybe, he could run towards his problems instead of away from them.

When he finally got to the rink, he couldn't help but stare for a few minutes. This was the place where he was raised. He probably spent more time on the ice in this rink than he did at his own home. He almost turned around, but Kenma was right. He would have to face the feelings at some point, even if he couldn't face his family. Yet.

When he walked in, the woman behind the desk told him they were closed without looking away.

"Hey, Yuuko. Long time, no see." He finally got out after a moment.

She turned so quickly that he was a little worried about the safety of her neck.

"Shou-chan?" Her voice was shaky, but his was too, so it was alright.

He nodded, and the next thing he knew, she had practically hurdled the counter and engulfed him in a hug.

"Yuuko, I can't breathe." He managed, trying desperately to get her to loosen her grip. But she didn't let go at all, she just gripped tighter.

"I don't care. Last time I saw you, you were on tv with three broken ribs and a fractured pelvis. I'm not letting you go until I know you're actually here." She whispered, surprisingly gentle.

"I came to skate."

She let go at that.

"You're just like your father, you know that? When he lost big time at the Sochi Grand Prix, he came back here. You took a little longer, but in the end, the apple never falls far from the tree, huh?" She gave him one more quick squeeze before hopping back over the counter. "I'm guessing you don't want an audience? Don't worry. I'll make sure you're not interrupted."

He had no idea how much meaning those words held for her.

She then proceeded to pull out his old skates from beneath the counter.

"I had wanted to get rid of them, but your fathers insisted we keep them. Something about destiny and all that."

_"_ _He'll come back eventually. Didn't you used to say you always believed in destiny?"_

He grabbed the old skates and walked to one of the benches near the rink. He hadn't even realized that he had changed into sweats and his volleyball sweatshirt before his run. It would be perfect for skating.

For the first few minutes, he was unsteady, the images of his fall still somehow fresh in his mind, even after two years. But after a while, the muscle memory came back. It was like riding his bike again after a long winter of taking the bus. He hated how much he loved it.

All he could bring himself to do were a few step sequences and a few singles. Nothing special. Nothing near what had caused the fall.

He thanked Yuuko on the way out before heading back to the school. Sadly, his feelings had only grown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> солнышко = sunshine
> 
> Папа = papa (this is pronounced 'papa', it just looks different in Russian)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we're already halfway through the story. Hope you all like it. I can't help but smile when I see you guys commenting, so please keep them coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh. Impossible. A chapter from someone else's pov. How dare I?

_"What have you been wasting your time with for the past three years?" Kageyama asked._

_This kid, the one he had never even heard of before, had just made the most incredible jump he'd ever seen. The finesse and grace with which it was done had also not gone unnoticed. The way he recovered from the fall as if it were nothing._

_He didn't answer. The look on his face said enough. It was as if someone had cut through him with a hot knife._

_"Excuse me? You have no idea what he's been through the past few years." One of the other players called out._

_The boy still stood there, frozen in place._

_The referee blew his whistle. They had to line up._

_"C'mon Shou-chan, we have to line up."_

_He would never forget the broken look on the boy's face. The look of pure heartbreak and agony. _

_\---_

What happened to you, Hinata?

He worried sometimes, about Hinata. The secret late-night meetings off school grounds didn't help with that either.

He and a few people had decided to follow Hinata that night. They went to a ramen shop in town, and it seemed innocent enough, but it put them all on edge. Even Kuroo found it strange how Kenma seemed to be interacting with the conversation with more than just head nods.

He was proud, yes, but he was also quite freaked out.

It was also strange to them how the only reason they hadn't gotten lost on the way back was that they followed Hinata, who seemed to know every nook and cranny of the small town. What made it even worse was that Hinata had gotten lost on the way home before, so he didn't exactly have the best sense of direction.

That night, the group informed the rest of the team of their findings. They all seemed to brush it off, but even the next day they seemed a bit wary of him. What was he hiding? Why couldn't he tell them?

It wasn't until the next night they got their answer. At least, Kageyama did.

As he went to follow Hinata on his run, Lev and Kenma stopped him.

"You shouldn't follow him. We know you followed us last night, but he doesn't. He still trusts you all. If you follow him, you'd be shattering that trust." Surprisingly, it was Kenma that spoke.

"But, as a team, shouldn't we not be keeping secrets from each other?" He wasn't giving up. Never. They would only ever trust him after they knew his secrets.

Kenma just sighed before glancing over to Lev.

"I brought my computer if you want to show him. I think we both know he isn't giving up, and it's better if we tell him and make sure he keeps the secret until Hinata's ready. Right?" Lev reasoned, talking as if Kageyama weren't even there.

"Fine."

So they showed him.

They found a room that wasn't occupied by anyone except the dust bunnies and pulled out Lev's computer.

"Before we show you anything, we need you to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Hinata." The deadly serious look was not one he was expecting from Lev. He took the offered hand and shook it, sealing his promise.

After a quick Google search of _'Hinata Shouyou Junior Grand Prix',_ they were off.

Kenma searched through the videos (all of which featured a familiar redhead in a skintight outfit and picked one.

There he was, Hinata, standing in the middle of an ice rink, wearing a skintight outfit, his hair just as crazy as ever.

The music started and Kageyama saw the most beautiful thing that could possibly exist. This could not be the Hinata Shouyou he knew. This boy was too graceful. There were no unintentional movements. He moved with the finesse of a trained ballerina, and every jump made Kageyama's heart weak.

He couldn't take his eyes off the screen and he was sure his mouth was agape. Yet, for some reason, he didn't care. Even if he looked like a fish on the beach, gasping for air. He just wanted to see _more_. More of Hinata doing his jumps. More of the pure emotion on his face that, somehow, was different than on the court.

"Wow, even I didn't have that kind of reaction when I saw it. And I am _much_ more expressive than you are." Lev commented, pulling Kageyama from his stupor. "_Боже ты мой_, do you like him?"

Kageyama's entire face went red. He wasn't sure what the Russian meant, but he didn't quite care.

"Of course not, you dumbass. Why would I like him? The only thing he's good at his spiking the ball."

"And figure skating." Kenma commented.

"Definitely," Kageyama muttered, before even registering what he had said.

"You _do_ like him. Wow, never thought the 'King of The Court' would get all domestic on us." Lev teased, causing Kageyama to blush even more. He was sure his face looked like a traffic light right about now, but he couldn't help it.

"Lev, quit teasing him about it," Kenma said, finally looking up from his game. "Kageyama, remember your promise."

The threatening tone showed just how much the boy cared for Hinata.

As he walked back to the room that night, he saw Hinata walking back as well.

"Oi, dumbass." He called out, getting the shorter boy's attention. "You did good today."

He was sure his face was red again, but Hinata's was too, so it was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> Боже ты мой = oh my god


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my. Another chapter not in Hinata's pov? Is the author okay?

_"Dad, when did you fall in love with _папа_?" Hinata asked one day as they put on their skates for practice._

_He thought for a moment before he responded._

_"I don't know. I think one day we both just realized we had been in love with each other for quite a while. Why?" He looked inquisitively at his son._

_"Oh, no reason. I just wanna know when the time comes." He responded easily. It was always easy to talk with his parents._

_"Okay. Just know that if you ever need love advice, go to _папа_, okay? We both know how good I am at advice in general."_

_They both laughed as Viktor walked in._

_"What's so funny? Did I miss something?"_

_"No, darling. You didn't miss anything."_

_It used to be so easy to talk with his parents._

\---

Yuuri and Viktor missed their son so much. They always felt as if it had been their fault that he left, no matter how much Yuri and everyone they knew in Hasetsu. He had never even called them, and they had never had the courage to call him after the first few times when they were immediately hung up on.

They slowly made their trek to the Ice Palace. As they passed over the bridge, Yuuri finally spoke.

"I wonder how Shou-chan is doing right now." It was almost a whisper, and the tears on his face did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, are you talking about Shouyou."

It was the man who seemed to always be on the bridge. He had his customary fishing pole in one hand, the other waving at them.

"Um, yeah." It was a slightly uncomfortable topic, and they were unsure as to _why_ this man was asking them about it.

"I saw him just yesterday. Hasn't changed a bit. Not any taller either. He seemed a bit sad, though." He murmured the last part, as though he was lost in thought.

"Wait, did you speak to him?"

If it was really their Shou-chan, they needed to know where he was. Why he was here.

"Oh yeah. He wanted to know if either of you were at the Ice Palace. Had to break it to him that you hadn't been by all day."

They both looked at each other before turning and running in the direction of the skating rink, yelling a thank you behind them.

The old man just chuckled as they ran off, turning back to his pole.

"Yuuko, why didn't you tell us Shou-chan was here?" Yuuri demanded, stepping up to the counter with Viktor.

She calmly leveled her gaze at them before speaking.

"Yuuri, when you came in last in the Grand Prix Finals, what did you want more than anything? Why did you come here? You could've stayed at home, continued to be depressed, but you came here." Her hands were on her hips as she spoke.

"I wanted a quiet place to think." He whispered, realizing her point.

"He didn't want to be interrupted, so I thought best not to tell you. If he wanted you to know, he would have told you. He still needs time." Her voice was more gentle now, but it still held an edge.

"How much time?" It was Viktor this time. He had never been a very patient man. "How much longer do I have to wait to see my son?"

Yuuri pulled his husband into a hug. Viktor's tears soaked his jacket, but he couldn't have cared less. They both missed their son. They both wanted to see him again.

"Look, all I know is that he is leaving sometime late Saturday. He was wearing a sweatshirt that said _Karasuno_. Whatever you decide to do with that is up to you." She quickly went back to work, not giving them a chance to argue.

After a bit of asking around, they found out that Karasuno, along with some other high schools, were in Hasetsu for a volleyball training camp. Why their son had decided on volleyball, they didn't know, but they were willing to support him in anything.

A few hours later, when Yuri showed up on their doorstep demanding to know where his _солнышко_ was and why anyone had declined to tell him Hinata was in Hasetsu.

"Look, we didn't even know until a few hours ago, but you were in St. Petersburg. How did you find out?" Yuuri asked, honestly curious and a bit angry.

"Yuuko called me. She told me he was at the rink." His expression showed that he was just as confused as they were.

"She specifically told us he needed space, so why call you?"

"Maybe because she knew I'd give him the kick in the _задница_ he needed to get back to skating." He told them as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Neither of them responded to that. Were they not good enough parents? Had they done something wrong? Did no one trust them with their child?

Then, he was gone as fast as he came. Though, that had always been a constant with Yuri. He came into your life like a storm and left like one too. But storms weren't always bad. Sometimes they washed away all the clutter and got rid of the clouds so you could see the sun again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATION
> 
> Пaпа = papa/dad
> 
> солнышко = sunshine
> 
> задница = ass/butt


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, your author is fine. It's another chapter in Hinata's pov. You need not fret.

_"Yurio, if I ever do anything to make you angry at me, please don't be nice about it." Hinata said one day as they practiced their jumps._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I mean, if I ever make you angry, don't sugarcoat it. Be brutally honest with me. We all know how oblivious I can be at times. I don't know who I get it from. Both dad and _папа_ are good at reading people. Even if dad doesn't always seem like it."_

_Yuri seemed to think for a moment._

_"You're more aware of how others feel than you think you are," He paused. "But I promise to always call you out on your _дерьмо_. That is, as long as you do the same for me."_

_"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. But I guess I promise as well."_

_They both laughed at that, but a promise was a promise, and they both knew the day would come when Yuri would need to fulfill that promise._

\---

Hinata just wished it hadn't been under these circumstances. He did have to admit, Yuri was kind enough to wait until after practice to storm up to him and demand answers. He just wished it had been after he had separated from the group. After he changed into more comfy clothes. Maybe even after he had gotten at least a few hours of sleep.

But, of course, that was too much to ask for.

He was walking with an entire group of people, from both Nekoma and Karasuno, no less. They all seemed less anxious around him than they had the day before, and it was all back to normal. Like nothing even happened.

Hinata wasn't quite sure why, but he never liked looking gift horses in the mouth.

Everything was back to normal.

"Oi, Shouyou." He heard the voice he so clearly remembered, the accent still thick, before he saw the boy who was speaking. "Where the fuck have you been for the last two years?"

The person speaking wasn't much taller than Hinata, he must have looked short to anyone other than Hinata and Nishinoya. His blonde hair went to his chin, and his eyes were a bright blue-green.

Hinata could only stand frozen in shock at the physical embodiment of his shameful past standing in front of him.

"Hinata, do you know him?" Asahi asked, trying his best to look intimidating. The tone of the other boy didn't necessarily show a friendly relation between them.

"I'm the one asking the questions, _йети_." His threatening gaze was now focused on Asahi, who happened to be a big scaredy-cat.

"Hey," They all looked at Hinata, who had suddenly spoken. His eyes were still on the ground. "Don't make fun of my friends."

His fists were clenched at his sides as he spoke. It was taking every ounce of self-control he had to stop the tears. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet.

"Don't tell me what to do. You're the one that ran away for two years. And now you're back? _Что за черт_?"

"Hinata...?" He wasn't sure who had spoken, but he still refused to look up. Even now, as the tears escaped his eyes one at a time.

He didn't say anything.

"And why? Just because you fucked up a jump? You told me a long time ago to call you out on all of your shit. I'm just fulfilling my promise."

He knew Yuri was right. He knew he shouldn't have left. But that fall hadn't just been any fall. It had put him in the hospital for two months. It had disqualified him from the Grand Prix. It had ended his skating career.

"You don't understand," He finally let out, his voice low. "That fall sent me to the hospital. I was in there for two months. That fall ended any career I could have had in skating."

His voice was loud. He had forgotten about the people around him. The mixture of players from each team. Kenma and Lev were there. Kageyama was too.

"You chose to end your career, _солнышко_. That was nobody's decision but yours." The boy's voice was quieter, but still held the same venom. Hinata's heart swelled at the old nickname.

He paused before continuing.

"How about a challenge?"

They all looked at him, Hinata finally raising his head, and it hurt Yuri so much to see the tear stains on his face.

"A competition of sorts. If you win, you can continue running. No more facing your old life. It will be as if it never happened."

Hinata's gut twisted at that. He didn't want to leave his parents forever, but he liked the life he had now.

"Or, if I win, you come with me to Russia to train. You still have time to get into the Senior Grand Prix. You can be homeschooled, and you can stay with me, but you have training every day."

Hinata wasn't sure which was worse. Leaving his friends forever, or leaving his family. He didn't want to accept, but he had always been a sucker for a challenge. Even ones he knew he couldn't win. But maybe he had a chance. Maybe.

He stuck his hand out.

"Fine. But when I win, no more talk about skating. No more trying to get me back."

"_Cделка_."

They shook hands and parted ways. When he turned around, he remembered his audience. Kenma and Lev just looked on in pity. This explanation would be a long one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATION
> 
> дерьмо = shit
> 
> йети = yeti
> 
> Что за черт = what the hell
> 
> солнышко = sunshine
> 
> сделка = deal


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all staying safe and being responsible during your quarantine. 
> 
> Oh, who am I kidding? I got so bored I shaved half my head and gave myself an undercut.

_It was cold in Russia. Colder than anywhere else Hinata had traveled to. He hadn't even come for a competition. No, he came to surprise Yuri in his home town. And, maybe his parents had also been called to commentate on a competition for charity, an offer they just couldn't refuse. Maybe._

_He knocked on the door, and it was opened by a large man. His gaze softened as it fell on him._

_"Ah, Shouyou. It's been a long time. _Войдите_, Yuri will be glad to see you again."_

_It wasn't his first time meeting Yuri's grandfather. He had seen and talked with him at many of Yuri's competitions in Russia. They had grown close enough that Hinata knew how to contact him if ever he wanted to surprise Yuri like this._

_He was staying at his grandfather's this week, and it was perfect for Hinata's purposes._

_"_Спасибо_." He replied. His accent wasn't perfect by any means, but he was trying._

_He went to find Yuri and found him laying on the couch._

_"I had no idea you were such a mooch, Yurio. Still living at your grandfather's."_

_Yuri jumped up from the couch, the sudden recognizable voice startling him._

_"Nice to see you too, _солнышко_. And, I'm not a mooch. I'm just staying here for the week to visit. Although, I assume you knew that." He eyed his grandfather as he said the last part._

_"Hey, blame _папа_, he's ingrained surprises into my brain."_

_\---_

It was a long explanation about Hinata's life story, which they all listened intently to. Their harsh glances seemed to soften as he continued and they learned why he had left and decided to keep it a secret.

They knew everything and Hinata suddenly realized that they may never trust him again, even if he won and got to stay with them. Maybe he could run away again. Run away from everyone.

As he walked back to the dorm with Kageyama, the taller boy seemed to read his mind.

"You're going to win this, and you're going to stay on the team. They all trust you. They understand why you hid it from them."

Hinata stopped and stared. It was so unlike Kageyama to speak this way. Suddenly, the boy stopped as well and turned around to look at him. The look in his eyes was enough to speak volumes, but the words left his mouth anyway.

"You have to win. You have to win so you can stay with me. So I can be your setter."

Hinata's face grew red at the words, and Kageyama's followed soon after as he realized what he had said.

"I mean, um, the whole team needs you. We would all miss you." His face just grew more and more scarlet with each word.

"I'd miss you too, Kageyama." It was barely above a whisper. "Cheer for me."

"What?" Kageyama wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.

"It's in a few days, and word travels fast in small cities like this. Especially with the triplets spreading the news. There will most likely be a crowd, so I want you to cheer for me. Even if you're the only one cheering for me, I think it will be enough." It was Hinata's turn to become crimson, and Kageyama found that the color fit him well.

"Red looks good on you." His voice was smoother than he thought it could be with how dry his throat was, but he was thankful for it, since it caused Hinata's eyes to widen.

"Um, I, uh, we should get to bed. Practice tomorrow." He ran off without waiting for a response.

"Yeah, practice."

The next day went better than Hinata expected. There had been a few wayward questions about his past, but other than that, it was actually pretty tame.

Nishinoya, being the ever-curious being he was, had asked Hinata just how far he could stretch. Asahi quickly tried to stop him and apologize for being rude, but Hinata assured he wasn't bothered.

He dropped into side splits and leaned forward until his face was about to touch the ground.

Needless to say, Noya was very happy (and maybe a little weirded out) that Hinata most likely had the ability to fold himself into a human pretzel. He stored that information away for later.

During their games, he played the same. Even if skating had helped his leg power, not too much else was involved. Practice seemed to go by quickly, and nobody asked any questions after about halfway through.

Once, when the other team had scored a point because he couldn't receive it properly, the curse had just slipped out.

"_Хуй тебе_."

Lev had immediately started laughing on the other court, while his team just looked at him in confusion.

"Nevermind," He brushed them off, not wanting to admit he had cursed out the other team.

After practice, Hinata left immediately. He had to practice his program if he wanted any chance of winning and staying with his team.

"Oh, Shouyou, good to see you again." It was the man on the bridge. "Your fathers told me to tell you when they were up there. I think they're looking forward to seeing you again."

Hinata stopped at the words. He knew he'd have to face them at some point. They _would _be at the competition after all. He couldn't avoid them forever. After a deep breath, he continued along the bridge until he came upon the rink.

He could do this.

It would be embarrassing if he cried, so he'd have to avoid that.

That thought was immediately disregarded as he entered the Ice Castle. His fathers stood there at the front desk, somber looks on both their faces. He couldn't help himself as the tears fell down his face.

"_Огонь_." Viktor had seen him.

Next thing he knew, he was being engulfed in a hug, two pairs of arms wrapped around his small frame.

"Oh, Shou-chan. We're so sorry for whatever we did." Yuuri was desperately trying not to cry, himself, but the tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't seem to help it.

"Dad, _папа_. I missed you both so much. I'm so sorry for leaving." His words were muffled by their chests and his own tears.

And they stayed like that, in the middle of the lobby of the closed Ice Castle of Hasetsu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Red looks good on you'  
What a smooth motherfucker.
> 
> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> Войдите = come in
> 
> Спасибо = thank you
> 
> солнышко = sunshine
> 
> Хуй тебе = fuck you
> 
> Огонь = fire/light
> 
> папа = papa


	11. Chapter 11

_Hinata watched intently as the music began to play from the speakers. His father looked up from the ice, an almost pained expression on his face._

_"He has an ambitious program with four quads planned."_

_He watched as he spun on the ice, landing his jumps. The commentators spoke, but they seemed to be in the background as his father took center stage._

_The expression in his movement impressed Hinata more than the actual moves ever could._

_"The song he's chosen is 'Stammi Vicino', also known as 'Stay Close to Me'."_

_He continued watching, seeing both of his fathers doing it together in his head. The crowd seemed just as enthralled in his movements as Hinata was. He wondered what it would be like to have seen it in person instead of on this small computer screen._

_He knew he wanted to do that program. Someday he would. He would surprise everyone with his finesse and expression. He would make them feel the emotions he felt while performing. They wouldn't be able to look away._

\---

Practice had just ended, and Hinata was getting ready to go to his next practice of the day. His teammates seemed to huddle around him as he pulled his sweatshirt over his t-shirt. It was like they wanted to ask him something, but were too embarrassed to actually do so.

"You can come with me if you want." He knew what they were thinking, and knew they wouldn't be able to focus until they got it out. Until they saw him. He wondered if they had seen the video yet.

"We wouldn't want to intrude," Daichi claimed at the same time as Noya pumped his fist in the air.

"You wouldn't be. I'm sure Yuuko would even let you guys skate if you wanted to." He was finished now, and he noticed they were all still wearing their regular training gear. "Although you might want to change. Ice is a bit cold. I'll wait for you guys outside."

So he did. They were either excited or wanted to get this over with, and he wasn't sure which was better, but they had changed in record time. (Even if Tanaka had his sweater on backward and Suga's jacket looked to be a few sizes too big.)

At the rink, Yuuko was very excited to meet Hinata's friends, and Axel, Lutz, and Loop seemed happy to have more people coming to their, quote-unquote 'big showdown'. They had even come back from where all three of them were going to college (because they wouldn't separate in a million years) when Yuuko had called them after Yurio's challenge.

_"I can't believe you're finally back, little bro." Lutz called as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder._

_"I can't believe he hasn't grown any in the past few years." Loop copied her sister's action from Hinata's other side._

_"That just means he's still our _very_ little brother." Axel joined in, ruffling his hair. _

He had somehow managed to wrestle his way out of their grasp before he headed for the ice. All three of them watched with soft smiles on their faces. They had missed the boy who may as well have been their little brother.

By the time they had all gotten skates and finally gotten onto the rink, Hinata was practicing his program, the song he had chosen playing in perfect tune with his movements. He had just wanted to get a bit of serious practice before his teammates came out. After all, they would probably need help.

They were all amazed at his ability. Sure, they had been curious and decided to look up a few of his performances, but this was an entirely different feeling. They could _feel_ his movement.

Tsukishima had resigned himself to the bench, deciding that ice skating was not for him. He was also famously known for never joining the team on their ice skating escapades in the winter. Though they had always been few and far between.

Even with that, he was surprised at how much they all absolutely sucked at it. They must have cleared out the rink any time they went because _anyone_ would run away from such hazardous movement. Anyone except Hinata.

After a few minutes of coaching, they could all skate in a fairly straight line. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He tried teaching them how to stop and go as well, but that wasn't going too well.

Kageyama seemed stuck in his spot.

"Kageyama, you do know you have to move your feet, right?" He joked.

"O-of course I know that, dumbass." Yet, he still refused to move. He remembered his fathers grabbing his hands and pulling him along when he was little, but that seemed a bit too intimate. He gave him a little shove instead.

"Don't worry. I fell down a bunch of times. If you fall, I promise I won't laugh. If that's even what you're afraid of." He told him, continuing to push his shoulders from behind.

The others smiled as they watched, still trying to figure out how to turn.

"_Огонь_, you didn't tell us you were inviting friends to practice." A voice called from the entrance. It was a tall man with silver hair. His arm was around a man who was a few inches shorter.

"Oh, I didn't know you were coming _папа_." He looked flustered as he dropped his hands from Kageyama's shoulders. "These are my teammates. They wanted to see me skate."

He stood there for a moment, playing with his hands before realizing something.

"Oh, right. Guys, these are my dads. This is Viktor," He pointed at the taller one who sent them all a dazzling smile. "And this is Yuuri." The shorter gave them a small wave.

"Nice to meet you all. Shouyou told us a little bit, but not much." They all noticed his accent right away and realized exactly why Hinata knew Russian.

They were on the ice now, and the team noticed that they moved with even more grace than Hinata did. The one exception was Kageyama, who was sure no one could ever move with more grace than Hinata while on the ice. Even on the court, he had an air of grace to him that Kageyama had seen for the first time in middle school.

"Why don't you show us what you've been practicing? Maybe we can give you some pointers." They looked hopeful, and Hinata knew they just wanted to help, but he couldn't show them. It had to be a surprise.

"It's a surprise."

Viktor smiled at that, and Yuuri just rolled his eyes. Too much like his father.

And so for the rest of the night, the two skaters tried to teach Hinata's friends how to skate, but it seemed to be a lost cause. Hinata had been working one-on-one with Kageyama for the past few hours.

"How long have they been together?" Yuuri asked one of them. He was about the same height, and his silvery hair was a bit darker than Viktor's.

"Oh, Kageyama and Hinata? I don't even think _they_ know they like each other. They're both so clueless sometimes."

Yuuri just nodded. He saw how they looked at each other when they thought no one would see. It was the same way he had looked at Viktor for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> Огонь = fire/light
> 
> папа = papa


	12. Chapter 12

_"Please take me away," Hinata cried as he ran to his dance instructor. She was moving soon, and he wanted to go with her._

_"Hinata, are you sure you should be up and about. You just got out of the hospital." She seemed to be ignoring his plea._

_"Please, please take me with you."_

_The tears streamed down his face, and she was curious as to why. Why was the strongest student she had ever had running away?_

_"Why do you want to leave? Why are you running away?"_

_His whole body stopped moving, the only thing that shifted were the tears as they fell down his face. It hurt her to see him like this. She knew she wouldn't be able to say no. She knew that he would come with her, but she wanted to know why._

_"I don't think I'll ever be able to skate again. Every time I even look at the Ice Castle my entire side hurts. I can't handle it anymore. But I can't stay here and disappoint them either."_

_The tears still flowed._

_"You do know they would love you, right? No matter what."_

_He didn't answer and she knew her fight was one she would not win._

\---

"Kageyama-kun, I don't think I can do this. What if I mess up and have to go to Russia?"

Hinata paced the hallway near their room. The competition was tomorrow, and everyone at the camp was going. Something about needing to take a break. He was sure that they just wanted to see clumsy Hinata try to skate.

"Hinata, if you do fail, I will personally come to Russia and kidnap you." The look on his face showed he was completely serious, and despite it being a threat, it warmed his heart a little bit.

"Aw, it's nice to know you care."

He reveled in the way Kageyama's face turned pink. It was a sight he didn't get to see all that often.

"Shut up dumbass. You're the only one that can do those stupid quick attacks with me." He mumbled, his face inexplicably going even redder.

"Oh, come on. Face it, you love me."

They both froze at the words. Why was he such an _idiot _?

"Um, sorry. I just, well, I wasn't thinking and-"

He was cut off by a voice much too quiet to be Kageyama. Much too soft to be his setter. Much too insecure in what it said to be the confident king he knew.

"Yeah, I do."

"What?"

God, he really was a huge idiot.

"I do. I really like you. Like, a lot. You have a really nice smile, and even when you're annoying I can't help but love you. So yeah, I really, really like you."

He was looking at the ground, but Hinata could see the glowing red color of his face. He realized he wanted to see that over and over.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same. We can just be friends if you want to."

Hinata couldn't respond. His feet seemed stuck to the ground. His throat was so dry that he knew if he spoke his voice would wobble and crack. He didn't care though.

"No," He finally got out, "I don't want to be friends. I really like you too. I, um, I really like the way you always trust me with the ball, and how cute you look when you blush. I really, really like you too."

They both stared for what felt like hours but must have only been a few seconds. Then, suddenly, without either of them consciously moving, they were in each other's arms. It felt right. They both knew they wanted to stay there forever.

But, alas, they could not. They separated, both of their faces red as they walked back to their room.

The next day, Hinata was up and out of the room before anyone else was awake. The sun hadn't risen yet as he made his way to the rink. He was hoping to get some practice in before volleyball started. After that, the competition would begin.

The bridge seemed lonelier than normal, but it may have been the absence of the fisherman who was usually there. It seemed too early for anyone to be awake.

As he reached the Ice Castle, he reached under one of the rocks decorating the front and pulled out a key.

_'They haven't moved it since I left.'_

Not too long after, he was done lacing up his skates and was busy doing his warm ups. He slid the CD into the player.

As the voices began, so did his program.

All of his jumps and swirls and spins. Everything charged with such emotion that just doing it once wore him to the bone. It took so much energy to be silently expressive. To show the people around you how much you put into the program, into the song.

It wasn't a long program, just three and a half minutes. Just three and a half minutes to show them how much his team meant. To show them how much he wanted to stay.

Three and a half minutes to change his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, sorry for the short chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm so glad I got to keep my computer from school over the summer. It would have been so fucking annoying to update without it, but I'd figure it out because I really love you guys. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the update! We're almost to the end!

_"You can do anything, win anything, as long as you have something that motivates you. Something that pushes you to do your best." Yuuri told Hinata._

_It was his first competition, and he was so nervous he almost threw up._

_"What do you think of?" He asked, trying his best to quell the rising anxiety._

_"You, your father, Makkachin. Everyone I care about." He paused before continuing for a moment, "Don't think about the judges, just think about one person. One person, you are doing this program for. They don't have to be here. They don't even have to be real, just think of that one person."_

_So he did. He thought of his fathers. He remembered all the videos and practices. All the jumps and swirls. That was what motivated him. His dad and his _папа_. He never thought that would change._

_But it had._

\--- 

It was time. The competition started in just a few hours. Everyone at the training camp had the afternoon off, and most had decided to go to the competition with their free time.

_Most_ being Karasuno and Nekoma, as well as a few other players who had been dragged along.

Everyone had changed from their training gear into something... _warmer_. Hinata was the only one who hadn't changed, telling them that it would be a waste to change into something, only to change out of it again for his performance outfit. He did, however, bring his black Karasuno jacket with him.

It wasn't long after they got there that the entire rink was filled with people, all of whom, seemed to personally know Hinata by the way they spoke about him.

When they saw Hinata again, he was wearing black pants that seemed to have been painted on his legs and his black skates, which they had learned were customary of male skaters. The top half of his outfit was hidden beneath his Karasuno Volleyball Club jacket. His hair was the same, but they assumed that was because trying to tame that mane of hair was impossible.

From beside them, someone yelled.

"Go Hinata. We're rooting for you." They looked over to see a slim woman holding up a banner. She stood next to a woman with short hair that reminded them of Coach Ukai and three girls who looked identical.

She turned to see them, and as soon as she noticed their jackets that matched Hinata's own, she began handing out banners for each of them with the help of who Kageyama assumed were 'the triplets' Hinata had mentioned.

"Oh, hi, I'm Minako. I taught Hinata's father how to figure skate, and helped Hinata out a bit as well. I'm so happy he's getting back into it, even if just for this one competition." Her voice saddened towards the end, but they decided to ignore it.

The three introduced themselves as Axel, Lutz, and Loop. They were the daughters of the people who owned the ice rink and the ones who launched the most successful part of Yuuri Nikiforov's career. After their introductions they turned back to the camera they had set up on a tripod.

_"For future reference."_ They had cryptically claimed when Nishinoya asked.

As they looked out, they saw Hinata and the Russian skater who had challenged him warming up on the ice. Hinata looked tense. They couldn't have that.

So they cheered.

As they did, Hinata looked over and a smile adorned his face. He wasn't perfectly relaxed, but their presence helped.

It was time. Yuri was first, but Hinata couldn't bring himself to watch. He had never watched anyone who went before him, even his closest friends. It only served to make him more nervous. To give him something he had to love up to other than his own expectations.

By the way the crowd cheered, he knew Yuri was pulling all the stops. He could tell that all of his jumps had been landed perfectly. He could almost feel the smug grin on his face as he won.

Hinata shoved that last thought out of his mind. He had to win. If he won here, then they could win at Nationals. He could help them win.

When he heard the song end, he headed out. The room felt colder than usual, and he was reluctant to slip off his jacket. Then he scanned the crowd and caught a pair of eyes. Eyes the color of the sea.

He maintained eye contact as it slid off to reveal his red shirt. The one he had chosen specifically for Kageyama. Both of their faces flushed as they remembered.

_"Red looks good on you."_

He had decided then what program he would be doing. Even if it wasn't new or fresh like Yuri's had always been, it was one he knew by heart. One he could now pull off because he had the right person to focus on. The right motivation.

He was sure he heard the cheers, but the moment he stepped on the ice, a familiar feeling came over him. The feeling of calm focus that only happened on the ice or on the court. He waved to everyone, a smile plastered on his face as he skated to his starting position.

He looked down and could almost hear the crowd hold their breath. They all knew.

The music started and he looked to the sky. Thinking only of one thing, one person.

Kageyama.

He spun and danced, thinking only of his motivation. Then came his first jump. It was a quadruple lutz.

The crowd cheered as he landed it.

He saw his fathers by the side of the rink. There was something in their eyes he couldn't decipher in that split second.

Another jump. A quadruple flip. Perfect landing.

Right now, he didn't even care. He was too immersed in the music, in the thought of Kageyama by his side.

He twirled and the diamonds on his outfit sparkled. His step sequence was impeccable to anyone watching. His flying sit spin was perfect to all eyes.

The image in his head of Kageyama flickered to Yuri for a moment as he did the quadruple salchow. He faltered with his landing. He had gotten all his rotations. Everyone cheered. Had they even seen it?

His combination jump was next. It was flawless. His heart raced as he remembered Kageyama's promise to him. He had to win.

He wondered if the crowd could feel his performance, feel the need he felt, or if they could just see it. He had always been good at getting them to feel.

He felt sick as he spun. He always had. He had almost cut it from the program, but it was important. Every part of this performance was important. Nothing could be cut. Nothing could be removed. It had to be authentic.

The voice in the song grew as he skated. He could always feel the music, but it was different now. It was part of him.

The triple lutz was perfect.

The triple flip was beautiful.

The quadruple toe loop was magnificent.

The triple toe loop was stellar.

The spin was the worst part. He still felt like he was going to throw up. He had to do this. If he didn't it wouldn't be perfect. If he didn't he would have given up. If he didn't he would have to leave his friends behind.

He would have to leave Kageyama behind.

He finished, his arms folded in the air, his heart racing in his chest.

The cheers of the crowd seemed to die around him as he stood, frozen in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me, haphazardly looking up synonyms to describe how perfect his moves were*


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter. I love you all so much, and thank you for reading.
> 
> (also, if you're interested, i just started posting another story called 'Nothing In Return'. it's a bnha/x-men crossover if you want to check that out)

_"Hey, Hinata," Kageyama called, "Can I talk to you for a minute."_

_Hinata just nodded as he followed Kageyama around the corner. There was still time before he should start warming up for the competition in just a bit._

_"What's up?" He asked as they rounded the corner._

_What he hadn't expected was to be pinned to the wall by the taller boy. He was suddenly so close. His warm breath on Hinata's face seemed to do something to him._

_"Have you ever kissed anyone?" The question would have seemed random at any other time. But right now, with Kageyama inches away from his face, he could see exactly why he asked._

_He shook his head no, and Kageyama only got closer._

_"Do you want to kiss me?"_

_He frantically nodded, not trusting his voice anymore. Especially with how close they were._

_Without warning, Kageyama pulled away. Hinata missed his warm breath._

_"If you win," He started, seeming to choose his words carefully, "If you stay with us, with me, I'll kiss you."_

_It was a simple statement that only fueled Hinata's fire. His burning desire to win and stay._

_Another nod, and Kageyama was gone. Hinata, still leaning against the wall, tried to catch his breath._

\--- 

Hinata skated off the ice, the whole world seeming to slow around him. The applause was deafening, but at the same time, he could barely hear it. Everything was muffled. Even his vision seemed off.

"Shou-chan?" It was his dad.

"Dad, how did I do?" Once he spoke, it was as if a spell had been broken. His vision cleared and time sped up, he could hear the crowd's cheers.

"You were amazing. So amazing. We're so proud of you." Viktor cut in.

"Thanks _папа_."

The hug was so warm, Hinata felt like he might catch fire.

The judges that were there seemed to be discussing something, and Hinata worried that it was his quadruple salchow.

"Not bad, _солнышко_. The quad sal was a little sloppy." The voice pulled him from the heat of the hug.

"Yurio, I'm sorry. I never apologized to you, so I'm sorry."

His face tinted just the smallest bit pink.

"Oi, don't go getting all mushy on me. And what's with the red? Haven't I told you before? Red clashes terribly with your hair."

_"Red looks good on you."_

It was his turn to flush this time.

"I think he looks quite dazzling. Like a little flame. Our little _oгонь_."

Another, shorter, hug.

It wasn't until one of the judges skated to the middle of the rink that everyone quieted down. Hinata glanced over at Kageyama, whom he caught staring right at him. He threw him a smile in return before looking back at the judge.

The Ice Castle didn't have a speaker system, so the man had to wait until everyone stopped talking, but even then, his voice didn't carry very well.

"Us judges have put in our scores. The winner of this competition, by only two-point-seven points, is Hinata Shouyou."

Time stopped again. Hinata didn't even feel the sad hugs from his fathers. He didn't notice the scowl on Yuri's face. He could only think of his team. More specifically, his setter.

The judge announced their scores, but Hinata didn't care to listen, all of his senses were focused on Kageyama. Their eyes locked in a never-ending battle to see who would look away first. It was Kageyama, as Noya looped an arm around his neck and cheered.

His fathers began to speak, but Hinata interrupted them.

"Every summer vacation. I get six weeks unless there's a training camp for volleyball. I'll practice with you guys and do any competitions. I can take time off school to go to bigger competitions if I need to. I want to skate and play volleyball."

Yuri smirked, but it wasn't a smug grin like he had won. It was almost kind.

"_Cолнышко_, when is summer break? These two are too old to train you correctly. I'll make sure to be here so they don't throw out their backs."

His words were followed by a string of protests, and Hinata couldn't help but laugh. Both of his families were together now. He could be with both of them.

"Hinata!"

Before he could do anything other than stand to see who had called him, he was trampled to the ground by his team. Kuroo and Lev joined in on the fun, prompting some of the other Nekoma players to join in.

It felt good. He liked being surrounded by so much love.

Later, as they all packed up to leave and Hinata was done giving his fathers a teary goodbye, Hinata grabbed Kageyama.

They had both packed before the competition. Hinata, in case he had to leave for good. He didn't want to have to face his teammates any longer than necessary. He didn't know why Kageyama did it.

"Hinata, you really do look good in red." Kageyama whispered as they walked down an empty hallway.

"Thanks," He paused. Should he even bring it up? Would that seem pushy?

His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle hand under his chin. It was so soft it couldn't possibly be Kageyama. But when he looked up, it was undeniably him.

"Can I kiss you?"

It all seemed too gentle. Too soft. It wasn't Kageyama at all, but it was all too much like him at the same time.

"God, yes."

And so they kissed.

It wasn't magical like in the movies, but it was soft and sweet. He felt like he was floating and the only thing anchoring him to reality was the place where their lips touched.

Hinata moved his arms to loop around Kageyama's neck, bringing him in even closer. Kageyama settled his hands on Hinata's hips. It was too much and not enough.

As they pulled apart, faces red and breaths quickened, Hinata smiled.

It hadn't been perfect, but it had been oh so _them_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally kissed!!
> 
> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> oгонь = flame/light
> 
> Cолнышко = sunshine
> 
> (p.s. watch out for an extra chapter, if i post it it'll be on the twentieth, so keep an eye out)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I kinda just forgot about Kenma and Lev at the end, so here's a little something I decided to write with them. It'll mostly be backround about their friendships, but then it'll come back to after Hinata wins.

Kenma and Lev both had difficulty making friends as they grew up. People tended to steer clear of them, but for completely different reasons.

Kenma was quiet. _Too _quiet. Everyone around him seemed to just assume he didn't want to make friends, and that was why he was so quiet, so they avoided him. And his long dark hair that seemed to creep them out probably didn't help his case any.

When he met Kuroo, he was, surprisingly enough, the more social one of the two. But they eventually became friends. He would never admit that he was glad he had the Nekoma Volleyball Team, lest it go to their head, but he didn't think he could have chosen a better team.

Hinata had been an enigma since the beginning, but that was what Kenma had liked about him. He didn't care about a person's outside, he cared about who they were on the inside. It sounded cheesy, but Kenma appreciated it.

Lev had always struggled with the opposite issue. He always scared people away with his willowy limbs and tall stature. His loud and brash way of talking only served to make it worse.

His sister had always been there for him, and he loved her for that, but he needed friends outside the family. Especially ones that actually spoke Japanese. So when he joined the Nekoma Volleyball Team, his prayers were answered. Not only were they not put off by his height and personality (not entirely, anyway), but they found a way to put it to use. Then he met Hinata. A short little firecracker who wasn't afraid of him (at least, not after he had finally introduced himself). What's more, the boy knew Japanese _and_ Russian, and was completely willing to teach him the latter.

That's why they both cared for the boy so deeply. He was one of the few friends they had outside of their own team.

When Lev's parents demanded to meet his friend that was teaching him Russian, Hinata had been more than willing to stop by. Despite being surrounded by an entire family of giants, he somehow blended perfectly with them all. He managed to speak perfect Russian with his parents, and he was pretty sure they were talking about how bad he was at actually speaking it, but he let it slide. He even became pretty good friends with his sister, which, admittedly, wasn't all that difficult, but he was still impressed.

When Kenma's mother had demanded to meet his friend that he texted almost religiously, Hinata had come by without even waiting for an okay from his friend. His mother, having a completely opposite personality from Kenma, hit it off instantly with the boy. She had not been expecting such an energetic boy to be best friends with her son, but as long as he was happy and safe, she didn't quite care. She had laughed for quite a while when Hinata recounted the story of how they met. She told Hinata that any other meeting would not have been able to catch her son's attention.

Soon enough, the group became closely knit. So much so, that Kenma was not afraid to yell at the tall boy when his receives were shit, or his blocks were weak. Nor was Lev afraid to tease Kenma every time one of his tosses was off or he couldn't run quite as far as the others.

_"Come on, Kenma. You can do it. Just a few more blocks and we'll be done." Lev called, shortening his stride to meet that of the shorter boy._

_"Says the guy with a stride twice as long as mine. Your long-ass legs give you an unfair advantage." He was breathing heavily, and it took everything in him to retort._

Despite all their bickering, they pushed each other further.  
  
  


When Hinata was challenged, Kenma and Lev took it as a challenge to themselves. Hinata had talked about his past with them, not leaving out the temperamental Yurio.

As he trained, they watched him on the ice, his entire being thrust into his jumps and glides. Both of them were a bittersweet cocktail of emotions. They were glad to see him so happy. They were sad at the thought of losing one of the few friends they had.

When he won, they all went out and celebrated together, without anyone else, just the three of them.

"Look, I don't have many friends outside of the team, so I'm glad you stayed." Lev said, reaching over and stealing a piece of food from Kenma's plate.

"Yeah, I, um, I don't really either. Plus, if you left, I'd be stuck alone with this idiot." He pointed to Lev with his chopsticks.

"Hey, I'm not that bad."

"Yes you are." They both turned to him and said at the same time.

They all laughed at that, even Kenma joining in with a small chuckle of his own. This was what they all needed, this was what they wanted. A nice night out without any distractions. A night to relax from the stress of the competition just hours ago.

As they quieted down, Hinata finally spoke.

"I have to go soon, the bus leaves tonight." His eyes dulled a bit at the thought of leaving his friends before a hand was on his shoulder.

"We'll always be here for you." It was Kenma with a soft look on his face.

"Yeah," Lev added, his voice just a bit too loud, "Plus, We still have to kick your _задница_ at nationals."

"I'd like to see you try."

And soon enough, they were headed back to the school so Hinata could get on the bus to leave. They didn't want to go, but they knew they would see each other again soon. Karasuno would make it to nationals and play against Nekoma.

It was destiny, after all, and they all believed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I am so sorry I didn't post on the twentieth. I slept too late and then I was busy all day so I didn't get around to it until now. But, since it's the twenty-first anyway, happy father's day to any fathers reading this or to anyone-who-is reading-this's father. 
> 
> TRANSLATIONS
> 
> задница = ass/butt


End file.
